THE



Avicultural Magazine


THE JOURNAL OF THE

AVICULTURAL SOCIETY



Fifth Series. —Vol. I.—No. 9.— -All rights reserved. SEPTEMBER, 1936.



THE LIDTH’S JAY


(Lalocitta lidthi)


By A. Ezra


This beautiful Jay is undoubtedly a relative of the common Jay

of Europe and Asia. It differs in several striking points ; being a larger,

darker, and brighter bird. It has the peculiar habit of nesting in holes

in trees, whereas the common Jays build a cup-shaped nest on branches.

However, its general shape is that of the true Garrulus of which it

also has the blue feathers barred with black on the wings, both characters

showing well its real affinities. The white streaks on the throat seem

also to link it with the Himalayan Lanceolated Jay (Garrulus lanceolatus).

Both sexes are alike but the young birds are browner than the adults,

the whole head being blackish brown, and they have no white spots

on the wings and tails. It is said that these white marks are only

acquired in the second year.


Lidth’s Jays are only to be found on the two larger islands of the

northern group of the Riu-Kiu Archipelago, which lies between Japan

and Formosa, Amami-Oshima, and Tokunoshima. Having such a re¬

stricted habitat (each of these islands is slightly larger than the Isle of

Wight) these birds have always been very rare in European living collec¬

tions. Formerly, they were common on the two islands, but feather hunters

reduced them to the verge of extinction. Fortunately, full protection



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